'Plasma's dead. Should I buy plasma?': Ask the Editors

Is plasma still a safe investment? We say 'yes.'

(Credit: Panasonic)

Q: "Want to buy a new plasma but don't know that the face of plasma has changed with the withdraw of two of its top players need some advice plasma or LCD?"
-- George Carter, via e-mail.

A: Well George, personally I think there's no reason to avoid buying plasma just because Pioneer and Vizio dropped out.

In case you haven't heard, dear reader, George is referring to announcements by Pioneer and Vizio, two companies from the high end and the low end of the plasma market, respectively. Both will no longer produce plasma TVs. Last week comments by an LG exec sparked speculation that that company was next to drop plasma, although a company press release says otherwise, stating that LG will continue with its 2009 plasma releases, including the PS80 series that we selected as a Best of CES finalist.

Despite seemingly dire news for plasma, we expect LG, Samsung and especially Panasonic to sell a lot of plasmas in 2009. And I'll feel perfectly comfortable continuing to recommend people buy them, assuming they score well in reviews.

Plasma is not dead yet.

Even if it was, George, and 2009 marked the last year for the flat-panel TV technology, there's no reason not to buy one anyway. Manufacturers will continue to stand behind their products, and of course the "obsolete" and "dead" HDTVs will continue to produce beautiful pictures--just ask owners of all those "dead" Pioneer Kuros.

In fact, with the introduction of new 1080p NeoPDP plasmas by Panasonic, which promise better black levels than ever in combination with improved energy efficiency, we see no reason why the technology won't do well, especially among savvy enthusiasts. Even the entry-level entry-level 720p TC-X1 series Panasonic models are quite compelling, currently selling for as low as $800 for a 42-inch version and $950 for the 50-incher and, if last year's PX80 series is any indication, delivering great bang-for-the-buck. Ultimately, if anything can save plasma, it will be competitive pricing.

Samsung and LG, the other two plasma nameplates remaining in the U.S., also performed well last year in our tests, and for 2009 both bring some new innovations, like improved adjust-ability and Netflix streaming for LG, and an inch-thin panel, among other improvements, for Samsung.

Call me a plasma booster, but I hope the technology continues to improve and offer an alternative to LCD for years to come. I've consistently found that the best plasmas outperform the best LCDs in side-by-side comparisons, making them the de-facto choice for buyers whose primary concern is getting the best picture for the money. Check out our flat-panel comparison for all the details, and stay tuned in the next days and weeks as we review the 2009 plasma (and LCD) TVs starting to hit store shelves.

[genghis-ron]

Vizio bailed on plasma because they couldn't figure out how to build one that would sell for $49.95 and last more than a week. Pioneer dropped out because the market for $6,000 tv's is a little narrow.

In January, I picked up last years model Panasonic 50" Viera Plasma - 1080p, no image blur with 480Hz and a .1 millisecond response time, a mind blowing 13 billion colors, black levels LCD can only dream of, no viewing angle issues, and no burn in problems unless your a complete moron that leaves a static image on the screen for endless hours. Okay, it uses a little more electricity so I'll buy a few less bags of potato chips a month.

LCD is an inherently flawed technology: viewing angle problems, motion handling issues, slow response times, limited color reproduction capabilities, lousy black levels, but like a leaky boat, they will keep putting patches on the technology and eventually it will catch up to plasma. But at what price? Many thanks to all those who have declared plasma dead because it allowed me to buy this spectacular set for $899.00.

The defense rests.

[griz_fan]

Very well stated. There are a few times where an LCD is a better option, but overall, especially for those concerned with the best picture quality, Plasma rules.

[kingofkings1968]

well said !

I too hope for high lcd demand to continue , as it just allowed me to buy a 2009 42' samsung for the amazing price of $750 !

And the kicker is in terms of pic quality the plasma smoked every lcd in the store . Even the top of the line sony and samsungs. (to be fari samsung was close )

[P_R_Smith]

Now if my 30+ year old Curtis Mathes would only die, so I'd have an excuse to by a new TV . . .
But at least it still has a good picture with AT&T U-Verse digital input.

[tacoma200]

I love my Panasonic 720P and get compliments all the time on the picture quality. I have yet to see an LCD that I would trade for to watch non HD sources. Just my opinion but plasma has always been better at lower grade signals. Even s-video sources look very good.

[george_liquor]

For plasmas, screen brightness has a big impact on energy consumption. You can save a lot of juice just by turning the brightness down.

[mayamayam]

Plasma is not dead. In the shipment of plasma panles Pioneer has market share of only 4.5%. Vizio only sells plasma TV and not a player in plasma panels. Look at the share of Panasonic in plsma panles. It is 49% followed by Samsung with 26% followed by LG with 16%. Plasma will be dead if Pansonic or Samsung quit. Recent rumor about LG quitting has been proved to be false. Plasm manufacturing of large size panles does not involve substantial capex like LCD 10G plants. Plasma has its own advantages of 'self-emission' and does not require backlight like LCD. For large sizes plasma will keep punching. The largest TV today demonstrated is from plasma technology and that is 150" which was exhibited in CES show in January 2009. The plasma panle manufacturing will increasingly go to China and leaders like Panasonic and Samsung will have more partners from China and bring down the prizes of large size plasma TV. There is no panic for plasma and Vizio and Pioneer quiting is only an opportunity for the leaders.

[MARS2025]

I don't think you can go wrong buying a plasma over an LCD. It's a slim mountable TV just like LCD's are. We aren't talking about DLP technology with a huge tube in the back. It's just a different type of technology but not an obsolete one. LCD technology isn't superior to plasma, but I guess consumers and manufacturers will ultimately decide which direction the future of each will take.

[blusky08]

Plasma is on its deathbed due to fragility (esp. burn-in).
If you buy one now and need replacement parts later, good luck.

[fnash]

Fragility? Burn in? Where have you been? Burn in hasn't been an issue since the first generation of plasma TVs. Parts will still be available too. They do still have warranties, and any that are out of warranty probably aren't worth repairing whether it's a plasma, LCD, DLP, or tube TV. So, that argument doesn't apply either.

I have 1 small LCD and 2 large plasmas in my house, and have friends with both plasma and LCD. Consistently, the whole bunch of us agree that the plasma simply has a better picture, especially for the price range in which you can get a comparable LCD. The only argument I have with plasma is they do generate more heat and in the summer when it's hot and you're trying to save on air conditioning, it can raise the temp of the room a degree or two.

[davemezz24]

Had a Panasonic for years--no problems. Regardless of the tv size, make sure you sit directly in front of your LCD to avoid blurred images. Plus no burn-in issues on my even newer Panasonic Viera and glass beats a plastic matte screen anyday!

[pcfish]

@blusky08

You're a complete ignorant. The real issues about plasma are power consumption and weight (probably not issues ppl care about), and may be screen door for some panels?. Other than that, plasma is way superior than LCD in terms of image quality.

I bet there are many other components in the TV (like power supply) that are much more prone to fail than the panel itself.

[jkbivens]

If they mass produced 32 inch plasmas in all brands LCD wouldn't have a chance.

[registration2099]

The fact that a lot of manufacturers are quiting plasma does not mean that it is a bad product for the consumers. In this case, imho, LCD is more popular due to better marketing. If you compare the pros and cons, plasma is definitely a good buy.

[cobratronik]

Right on, David. Don't ever be ashamed of being a plasma booster. In fact, anyone who enjoys the superior image quality afforded by plasma (and admit it LCD people, it IS superior) should sing it's praises at every opportunity. Yes, you CAN afford a plasma. No, you needn't worry about burn-in (as of at least 2 years ago, if not more).

Pioneer made the mistake of going the boutique route at a colossally bad time in history to do so. Vizio tried to sell plasmas at Costco and Wal-mart where most people are out to buy the cheapest set possible, image quality be damned.

Panasonic is perched right in the Goldilocks zone. Affordability, plus excellent image quality. Do the math people, it's a no-brainer!

[TigerHD]

There is still so little public understanding of Plasma VS LCD - here is a good starting point
www.lcdorplasma.com.au

I think it's a size issue even though Sony has backed LCD all the way

[MrMurder]

Thank you Mr .Katzmaier. I'm on your side with plasma being better than LCD. For all of you out there complaining about burn-in problems with your plasmas, turn the TV off while you leave something paused! It's a simple solution. It's saves money and doesn't leave a static image on your screen. Buy a Panasonic, I have one and the image quality is dang-good! The people at Panny are truely plasma masters. And my social studies teacher thinks plasma's dead. No it's not. Plasmas will get better every year unless Panasonic decides to leave the plasma business, which I doubt will happen. That company is the Trojan Horse for plasma just like the PS3 was the Trojan Horse for Blu-ray Disc. I've also read about this guy who is trying to make plasma even more energy efficient than Pannny's Neo sets. I hope he succeeds!

[thesplintercell]

before i bought my first HDTV (in november 08), i looked seriously at LCD and Plasma technology. i decided to go with Plasma, because of better picture quality (it is a TV, picture quality is a major factor, if not the most important) and also took note that plasmas use technology that's an extension of CRT (Glass and phosphor cells). believe it or not, a CRT can give better picture quality than an LCD. this is because LCDs are not meant to behave like televisions. but they probably turn in a higher profit margin for manufacturers...

that said, i did not want to buy a technology that inherits a bunch of electronic circuits and hardware just to provide a natural and stable image. LCD tv's do more signal processing than the equivalent plasma, suggesting that it takes more work to get comparable image quality with plasma.

i bought a panasonic TH-46PZ800U and I am very satisfied with it. it's an energy star TV and probably uses as much power as comparable and some smaller LCDs (hint: Sony Bravia)....

[DarkHawke]

Let's also not forget that the bang-for-the-buck issue still goes towards plasma, even though LCD has made some inroads. I was seriously considering a 52" Sharp Aquos for a while, but then I compared the price of the 58" Panny that I ended up getting, and discovered that I could get a significantly larger screen for about the same cash. Add in all the back-flips the LCD manufacturers are going through to get their screens up to what plasmas already can do, the choice is clear.

[EricoftheNorth]

That's hilarious. I sell T.V.s all day and I tell people that LCD's do backflips as well. Those words exactly. Pretty funny.

[markdoiron]

The highly reflective screen made plasma a non-starter for me. I watch TV in my home, not a darkened show room. After that, the few plasmas that have a decent screen were out of my price range. --mark d.

[DarkHawke]

You don't need a REALLY dark room to enjoy a plasma, at least not the Panasonic I got. They say it has an "anti-glare" screen, but in truth, the finish is nowhere near the matte of my LCD computer monitor. That said, it also isn't any more reflective than the CRT TV I used to run. Of course you should avoid direct light aimed at it, but soft overheads or floor lamps DO NOT make it unwatchable.

[Shaun822]

You don't need a dark room to watch a plasma TV. I have mine mounted across the room from a sliding door that is usually open and I have no issues seeing the picture on an entry level model.

[wayne lubin]

I've a Panasonic 720p that is approximately four years old this Spring. It is used in my 'daylight' basement frequently, has never had a problem and I would recommend it (or Panasonic and plasma) to anyone! It's a damn fine television!

[CFord9061]

I have a panasonic TH-50PX75U. the picture blows me away every time i watch it. HDTV is fantastic, blu-ray is unbelievable. anyone who knows anything about picture quality will tell you that plasmas produce a better picture in a given price range. new buyers still think about burn in and energy use. these so called 'issues' have been addressed. don't leave your TV running all day with a paused image and both problems are solved. i don't care if LCD sells more than plasma. it just means that i have a superior picture then the majority of people, and i'm perfectly fine with that! the only reason to buy a LCD is if you want a 37" or smaller screen.

[pharmd]

I just bought a Pioneer Elite Kuro pro-111fd plasma TV for $2495 (original price was 5k). I was going to wait for an LED based LCD, but the pioneer's picture is better and the price for this top shelf TV was to hard to resist. Even though pioneer will stop making these sets, they are currently the best flat panel TV's you can buy.

Connect a blu ray to a Pioneer Kuro and you are looking at a breathtaking picture that almost seems 3D. I have a sharp LCD and the picture can't compare. Note even close. My wife was against the plasma...until she saw the image at the show room. The electronic store had 3 rooms...1 for plasma's, 1 for LCD's, and 1 just for the pioneer. As the salesman said....you have the Pioneer Elite and then there is everyone else.
I agree with David Katzmaier when he said that the best plasma's outperform the best lcd's. Plasma's are far from dead.

[One_Of_One]

so you saved some money and of course that makes the plasma better. or you saw it in a showroom and it makes it better. or you have a blu ray and that makes it better. suuuuuurrrree it does. your tv likely looks like crap because its not properly calibrated. we know youre too cheap to pay for calibration and those silly dvds DONT have service menu level adjustments. so your plasma tv/heater was cheap and you bought it and like its 'breathtaking' picture. its more likely that you have never seen what a proper hdtv picture is supposed to look like and more likely still that being stuck at 720p you will never see what blu ray really has to offer on your plasma. but hey, you saved a few bucks now didnt you? my lcos 60 sony xbr2 has been professionally calibrated and I know that none of the plasmas bragged about here can touch it. and my 2 samsung 1080p lcds are better than any sad 720p future-less plasma. pity the fools who buy vizio.

[DarkHawke]

Ooooooo! Sounds like someone desperately trying to feel better about a lame purchase! ;) My Panny has a THX certified mode, which Mr. Katzmeier himself deemed to give the best picture, and a spectacular picture it is! No overpriced and unnecessary "professional" calibration needed! I don't know why you assume that a good value is a poor choice, or that those who chose plasma are morons about high-def pictures, but I assure you, you're quite mistaken.

[Shaun822]

First, under roughly 40 inches and no human can truly see the difference between the 1080p and 720p pictures. Second, any television not properly calibrated isn't going to look right, that is the idea behind calibration. Third, almost any of the plasmas listed would whoop a Sony LCD if both had "professional calibration." Lastly if your "2 samsung 1080p lcds" are larger than the 40 inch range, I would truly hope they look better than 720p or you got hosed.

[okusa]

Just how many lines of resolution do you think your 1080 SONY has during full action, or your Samsungs? Why do you need a 1080p set to watch 720 p/1080i broadcasts.
Why did you pay so much for something that has to be calibrated after the purchase just to look good. I happen to own a Samsung Plasma, but have researched the 2009 Panasonics and would challenge you to watch you "top of the line Sony/Samsungs next a one of the new 600Hz 720p Panasonic X1's..........oh by the way, at full action the Panasonic has 720 lines of resolution ........kinda makes you wonder if the sales people were smiling or just outright laughing as you left.

[GlennAllen]

Yeah, well neither plasma nor LCD were as good as LCoS as far as either picture quality or cost is concerned, but you don't see them being produced much anymore now--doesn't bode well for plasma's future (if you're pinning it on picture quality). The 1080p 120Hz panels from Vizio are as good as anyone's with respect to picture quality, and cheaper. I was going to get a Sony LCoS as soon as they started using LEDs--which never happened; now I'm planning to get a Vizio 240Hz LCD with LED back-lighting once they're out (this summer, less than $2,000). The longer I wait, the bigger & better & cheaper they get.

[krash3x]

Plasma tv's still do burn in. If you are doing gaming where the crosshairs or any type of targeting display is on screen then you are at risk no matter if they use any kind of picture shifting every few seconds or whatever. I work at a casino that has dozens of plama tvs with espn burnt in on the bottom of them. Yeah problay because that is a static image on the bottom of the screen but also they are suppose to change the possition slightly to prevent that. LCD is for gaming. Plasmas are for movies. No matter how you look at them they are A RICH MAN'S CRT. Mess up and the next superbowl party you have will have the lifetime channels insignia burnt in it.

[jenren3200]

First of all, plasmas can still burn in....if you are an idiot and pause a static image on your panasonic plasma for 48 hours, then yes it will burn in- luckily on the new models, the burn in (from your stupidity) should also disappear after watching about 1 hr of normal programming. And as for the casino guy- put LCDs to the same test and you will also see espn burnt into their screen- its called image retention or ghosting- same problem- its in the owners manual- just dont be an idot- burn-in on plasma or image retention on LCDs is not a manufacturer problem, they dont force you to mistreat your tv- - if you pay $$$ for your tv, treat it well- i play xbox all the time on mine with no problems- probably b/c i dont play for 12 hours at a time, and many game manufacturers have thought of this image retention problem and made changes to avoid it And its pixel orbiting, not picture shifting, and yes it makes a huge difference- your data seems to be true- about the orignal plasmas- such as the first ones produced. I dont know about anyone else, but i would put my new car against an antique anyday- same thing goes for new plasmas compared to old ones- improvements! So no casino guy- if u pause or watch the superbowl a few times you will not have an issue- at least not with a panasonic- btw- ur LCD has a way slower processing speed for gaming - thats probably why your always losing....im just saying... not to mention, for you LCD lovers out there who worship your lcd because its "bright' just wait a few months- if you are a moderate to heavy tv watcher, your brightness will be reduced significantly- plasmas are rated to last almost 2x as long as an LCD before they reach 1/2 brightness. I know i do not want to pay $2K for an LCD that im going to want to replace in a year